Infant corrective device



Sept. 12, 1933. J. B. STEWART v4w41,92 6,69o

INFANT CORRECTIVE DEVICE Filed Feb. 16,. 1952 lhmcntor [g w 622mm MW, $7M

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Patented Sept. 12, 1933 Q UNITE STATES INFANT CORRECTIVE DEVICE James B. Stewart, Knoxville, Tenn iassignor to The" Stewart Manufacturing 00., Knoxville, Tenn, a corporation of Tennessee Application February 16, 1932. Serial No.' 593,321 I '7 4 Claims. (arias-{1 3 The present invention relates to improvements in infant corrective devices, and has for an objectto provide an improved device so constructed as to be attachabletothe arm of an infant to act as a restraint from bending the arm, whereby to bring the thumb into the mouth of the infant, thus breaking and avoiding the obnoxious and unsanitary habit of thumbsucking. I

While therehave been some devices conceived for this purpose they have failed particularly in that they involve an objectionable amount of harness upon the infant, are difficult and harmful of application, and are costly incon- ,struction and apt to become bent or distorted, so as tomake future application or the removal of the devices diificult, if not impossible. 7

It is another object of the invention to avoid the difficulties with the former devices and to provide'an inexpensive, light, yet durable device for free and easy applicationto the armof the infant without pinching, cutting or bruising I the soft flesh, but at the same time beingwell calculated to prevent the infant from getting 'itsthumbup into its mouth. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully described here'- inafter,- and will be ,more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbolsrefer to lilre or corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved device constructed according to the present in- 5 vention and indicated in a position of application to the infants arm.

Figure 2 is a similar view detachedfrom the arm and with the parts inopen position ready for attachment or removal.

the closed position, and

Figure 4 is a similar view in the open position of the parts. g 7 Referring more particularly to the drawing the device may consist of one or morestrands of wire bent and fashioned to provide an arm loop 5 and a wrist loop 6 at opposite ends of the device. The wire is preferably round in cross section and is of a resilientcharacter in order to avoid injury or cutting or scratching and to provide for a certhe doubled wire. The inside member 7 is pref- Figure 3 is a top plan view of thedevice erably shorter than the exterior member 8, to agree with the natural distances between such portions of the forearm and elbow. The forward ring .or loop 6 is constituted'of two substantially semi-elliptical half sections which are divided at both ends. At one side the divided loop sections join with the outside armB by connecting strands 9 and 10, which strands as they emerge from the plane of the ring 6, extend for an appreciable distance in approximately straight and parallelcs I i 7 directions beforetheybecome intertwined in the twisted length 11 of the outer side member. Where these strands 9 and 10 are overturned at right anglesinto the planeof the ring 6 they form substantially radial parts 12 'and,13 for a short distance before *branching out into the elliptical sections of the ring6 and they are overlapped one upon another in order to reinforce the sections of the ring 6 and avoiding, one section being bent-out of the elliptical plane from the [15 other section.

At the opposite sides of the loop 6 there are formed longer strands l4 and lS-forming parts of the inner side member 7. Fashionedfrom one of these elongated strands 15 is a hook 16 adapted toengage with-the other strand 14; The two-=5 elliptical members are shown as having abutting shouldersl'l when the hook 16 is'engaged with the elongated strand 14, for which see Figure 3. The hook' 16 is so fashioned that it will prevent any radial movement of thestrands with respect to the ellipse and this confinement of the strand 14 by the hook lfiireinforcestheaction of the abutting shoulder 17 in holding the'ring 6 in a v stable condition when interlocked about the wrist ,99 v of the infant.

The elongated strands 14 and 15 merge with a twisted section 18 of the inner shorter side memher 7.

The elbow ring 5, which is larger than the wrist ring fi is also of elliptical or round configuration and is carriedby the side members.

The outer side strands 19 and 20 ofjthe side arm 8 support the dividedsections'of the ring 5 at this side and these strands l9 and 20 form a a hinge joint at the point 21 which is remote from the plane of the ring 5 and which, therefore, allows the separation of the strands 19 and 20 and the opening of the ring 5 as the device is put in place or slid up on the arm. The inherent 1,

resiliency of the wire will draw the sections of. the 1 ring 5 together lightly upon the arm. The strands Hand 20 join with a twisted section 22 of the outer side member. v I

At the inner side of the elbow ring 5 the same .1

V pliers I knot indicated at 30.

is also divided into half sections and elongated strands 23 and 24 of the inner side member 7 carry such inner ends of the sections of the ring 5; The strands 23 and 24 are twisted; however, in wide loops which may move in and out upon one another sufficientcto give the ring 5 a quality of eXpansibi1ity.-' One of the strands carries a hump 25 and the other strand an outwardly offset portion 26 through which the hump is adapted to engage, and over which it slips, the inherent resiliency of the wire causing the snapping of the hump within the offset portion and thereby holding the ring 5 contracted, except when pressure is put upon the same to expand it.

The inner arm side member 7 is provided'with one or more enlarged loops 27 and the outer side member includes one or more enlarged loops 28;

such loops being for the purpose of ;receiving or other appropriateiimplement for rotat ing these flatloops-and thereby imparting, twist to the sections 18, 29, 11 and 22.of the side members. In this way the sections may be shortened or lengthened and also the twisted sections may bemade to creep along furtherhinto the various pairs of strands at the ends of the side members adjacent the rings 5 and 6. Consequently the opening capacity offthe ringsmay be adjusted.

The ends of the wire forming the device may be brought together and tiedinan appropriate In the use of the device, it will be noted that the device employs only two ringsb and 6, and that there are no ribbons or other tying or attaching devices required to extend-about the infants arm in, order to hold-the device in placebut the device is self, sustaining and will remain in place without doing violence to the infant and without annoying the infant. 1 g v r i.

However, the device will avoid the bending of the elbow so as to bring the thumb orthe infant intoproximity to its mouth.

The device isapplied by first'opening the hook or catch 16, asindicated in Figure 4, and separating the elbow ring or loop 5 to the outer position, as also indicated in Figure-4; I The loop 5 is then introduced over thehandand up. along the arm until the opposite ring 6: has engaged over the hand and come to aposition about the wrist; whereupon the ring 5, is released to contract of its own-resilient force and the hook-16 is engaged over the bar or strand 14 to restrictthe ring'fi and prevent its casually slipping over the hand of the infant. t

The inner and outer side members 7 and 8 are disposed upon the inner and outer sides of the arm so as to avoid thecrooking of the arm so far asto enable the thumb to enter the mouth.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made: in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims. I What is claimed is:--

1. An infant corrective device comprising substantially rigidside members, substantially parallel strands carried at the ends of said side members, half ring sections carried by said strands and being openable Sand closable through the strands, a hook formed upon one strand and adapted to interlock withthe companion strand,

members foradjusting the lengths and the ten-,

sion'of saidstrands. Y v 2, An infant corrective device comprising side members formed of wire and including spaced twisted portions inwardly of the ends thereof,

wide flat loops between said twisted'portions for receiving a tool to adjust the twisted portions,

strands extending outwardly of the twisted portions, anda resilient ring carried by said strands at each end of the side members.

a 3. Aninfant corrective device comprising substantially rigid side members, substantially parailel strands carried at the ends of said side-members, halfring sections :carriedtby said strands and being openable and closable through the strands, a hook formed uponyone strand and adapted to interlock with the companion strand, ahump formed on another strand, and an offset in theoompanion strand cooperating with said hump.

4. An infant corrective device comprising a substantially rigid side member, substantially parallel strands at each end of said side member, half ring" sections carried at each end of the side member on the ends of the strands, one section being openable and closable through the strands,

a hook formed upon one strand and adapted to interlock with the companion strand.

JAMES B. STEWART. 

